Did you know the average lifespan of your silver amalgam fillings is only five to fifteen years? A high percentage of people keep theirs longer than that, which can lead to unseen decay, cracking and eventually pain.
If you’re over the age of thirty and have had your fillings for quite some time, schedule an appointment and let me examine them. They could need replacement if there are signs of cracking.
Cracking or decay festering underneath won’t be apparent until you find yourself in pain one day. Or, you bite down on something and feel the final crack give way beneath the old filling.
Also, as fillings get old they sometimes leak. In your exam, I’ll see if they’re worn around the edges and pulled away from the tooth enamel. When this happens, bacteria can enter and once inside the tooth it can’t be removed, so decay begins. There may be no symptoms until the decay reaches the nerve of your tooth, creating the need for a root canal.
If the decay gets far enough for you to be in pain, the remedy will require more treatment and more expense.
Every time you bite down you’re applying one hundred pounds of pressure to your teeth. If your fillings are weakening and there’s unseen cracking and decay underneath, every bite, is causing stress.
Last year I removed the silver fillings from a forty-five year old patient who has had regular dental care elsewhere and whose teeth and gums were in relatively good shape. She wanted the silver amalgam replaced with white fillings for cosmetic reasons. When we removed her silver fillings we discovered her molars were cracked and had to be restored. They are not only functioning great, but she no longer has dark fillings detracting from her beautiful smile.
When fillings are worn or broken down they need to be replaced as soon as possible to prevent the spread of decay throughout the tooth and any unseen cracking lurking underneath. In the process, you’ll get a smile update.
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